Think 111 First: the experiences and views of people in Devon

The Think 111 First campaign, which encourages people to call 111 before attending a hospital emergency department (ED), was launched nationally in December 2020. The aim of the Think 111 First campaign is to encourage people to call 111 before seeking treatment in an emergency department.

Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay were asked by the NHS Devon CCG to find out about the experiences of key groups when accessing NHS 111 services, and how the Think 111 First campaign has been received by those groups. Four remote forums, attended by 62 people, were held between 2 February and 23 February 2021. Members and representatives of the following key groups were present: Deaf people, visually impaired people, parents of children, carers, elderly people, people with long-term conditions, people with dementia, people with autism, and people who speak English as a second language (ESL).

• Some participants found that coordination between 111 and other services was poor, and some found that the accessibility of 111 was inadequate.
• Most of the participants had not seen the Think 111 promotional materials.
• Participants felt that the Think 111 First poster was too dense with text, which could make it difficult for a range of people to read or understand.
• Some participants said that the situations depicted in the TV adverts looked like emergencies, which could confuse people between 999 and 111.
• Participants from the Deaf community said that information should be more accessible to people whose first language is BSL.